Re: Which 3.5 drive do I need for my 2E enhanced?

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

"John Jacobs" <jjacobs@hager.net> wrote:

>Here's a bit from an Apple 2 History web site talking about 3.5 drives...
>(http://www.hypermall.com/History/ah09.html)
>
>"Overall, Apple released four versions of 3.5 drives between 1984 and 1986.
>First was the 400K drive used on the original Macintosh, then the 800K
>UniDisk 3.5 (which wouldn't work on the Mac), then an 800K drive for the Mac
>(which wouldn't work on the Apple II), and finally the Apple 3.5 drive,
>which worked on the Apple IIGS and the Mac, but not the IIe and original
>IIc"
>
>Question: I want to add one 3.5 to my Apple 2E enhanced, so what do I need?
>Right now the computer has  two individual 5.25 drives (not the two
>connected together unit). I see many 3.5 drives on ebay, but I want to be
>sure it'll work with my setup. Thanks!

That history, though good, is not complete and flawless.  ;-)

Your best bet would be to grab that 3.5" drive and then look for a UDC
card (Universal Disk Controller) marketed under the Laser label by
Video Technologies (a Hong Kong based company).  These were less
common than Apple's controllers, but they are by no means as rare
as some folks make them out to be.

The first model of the UDC will control ALL of the above drives quoted
in the history.  Yes, even on a IIe.

The second model does not work with the UniDisk 3.5.

The UDC controller runs about twice as fast as a UniDisk setup.